KEEP CINCINNATI BEAUTIFUL
Cincinnati is beautiful. We’re committed to keeping it that way.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Great American Cleanup
Every year, thousands of volunteers come together to improve the quality of life in their community during the Great American Cleanup. From March through November, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful provides cleanup supplies and logistical support for a wide variety of cleanup and beautification projects. We also work with groups of corporate volunteers to organize days of service to improve blighted areas of our city, and engage new folks in understanding the important of volunteerism, and taking an active role in making you community a better place to live, work and play!
Arts Program
Our Arts Program (what was once a part of Future Blooms) uses art as a catalyst for reducing blight, crime, and graffiti in Cincinnati neighborhoods. We find eyesores in a community -– things like vacant buildings, tagged retaining walls, and rusty chain link fences -– and turn them into community assets by using the neglected space to create simple works of art. By changing the appearance and perception of a neighborhood, this work encourages economic development and improves quality of life at a low cost.
Greenspace Program
When a lot is empty and overgrown, it perpetuates a low morale within the community. Our Greenspace Program aims to strengthen the community’s sense of safety and pride by stabilizing and improving vacant lots and publicly owned green space areas.
Research conducted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has proven that cleaning and greening vacant lots can increase surrounding property values and improve everyday life by reducing gun assaults, reducing vandalism, and encouraging more exercise (which leads to less stress). Our program is closely modeled after their LandCare program.
In the last five years, we have cleaned and greened 300 vacant lots in the City of Cincinnati.
Environmental Services
GRAFFITI ABATEMENT PROGRAM
Graffiti is the most common type of property vandalism (at 35%) according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Additional research shows that graffiti can result in more graffiti, vandalism, and crime in suburban and urban communities. This lowers property values and leads to deterioration in a neighborhood.
In order to reduce graffiti and improve our neighborhoods, we work closely with the Department of Public Services, who is primarily responsible for covering up graffiti in the City of Cincinnati. We help the department by providing information and access to best practices and the latest graffiti removal technology. We also maintain a database of tags and known taggers that aids Cincinnati Police with investigations. We’ve set up cameras to monitor hot spots and collect evidence for City prosecutors. In 2014, 17 graffiti vandals have been arrested and five have been prosecuted resulting in over $8,000 in restitution.
ILLEGAL DUMPING ABATEMENT PROGRAM
There are many blight indicators that can plague a community, but none are quite as offensive as illegal dumping. Not only is it a nuisance to remove heavy litter and debris, but illegal dumpsites are often in places that lack responsible ownership and are difficult to access. Many communities with chronic illegal dumping do not have the means to clean up the mess – either they lack volunteer power or they have insufficient funding to cover removal costs. This is where we come in!
Our staff and partners help neighborhoods clean up chronic illegal dumpsites by providing dumpsters, cleanup supplies and tools, bobcat rentals, monitoring equipment, and/or Police assistance.
In 2014, we received a large grant from the Ohio EPA that really kick-started this program. With that funding, we were able to organize 14 cleanups with hundreds of volunteers and community service workers. At these sites, we collected over 60 tons of trash and removed 2,245 illegally dumped tires!
Environmental Education
We believe that if we want to see sustainable behavior change in Cincinnati, we need to start by educating young children. Teaching children to use resources wisely and to take care of their surroundings will have a positive impact on their health and well being as well as the future of Cincinnati. This is why we continue to provide free environmental education to Cincinnati public, private, and parochial schools. Through service learning, classroom presentations, assemblies, and field trips, we are growing green habits in over 20,000 students each year.
Where we work
Awards
Affiliate Award National Award Winner 2011
Keep America Beautiful
Affiliate Sustained Excellence Award 2017
Keep America Beautiful
Affiliate President's Circle Recognition 2015
Keep America Beautiful
Ohio Nonprofit Excellence Award 2013
Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Ohio Nonprofit Excellence Award 2011
Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Affiliate Sustained Excellence Award 2015
Keep America Beautiful
Affiliate Award National Award Winner 2012
Keep America Beautiful
Affiliations & memberships
Keep America Beautiful 1978
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
KEEP CINCINNATI BEAUTIFUL
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Mr. A. Bradford Lindner
United Dairy Farmers
Mr. Abbot Thayer
Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP
Sandra Meyer
Messer Construction
Alvin "Chip" Dennig, Jr.
Barnes Dennig & Co.
David Fox
Contract Sweepers
Ed Hatfield
River Trading Company
Michael Kaplan
PNC Bank
Amy Lutz
Christine Schoonover
Sibcy Cline
Geoffrey Leder
Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL
Michael Tombragel
Hyde Park Painting
Michelle (Mitch) Zulli
On Line Design, Inc.
Damany Abernathy
Vantiv
Jacklyn Bryson
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Laura Duminuco
The Kroger Co.
Barry Morris
Barry Morris Consulting
Amanda Pratt
Rumpke Waste & Recycling
Debbie Puckett
University of Cincinnati
Brian McGraw
General Electric
Isabelle Lafosse
Patheon
Board leadership practices
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Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes